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Wayne Osmond, a founding member of family band The Osmonds, who had a string of hits in the 1970s, has died at the age of 73. Wayne was a singer and guitarist, and co-wrote many of their biggest hits, including Crazy Horses, Goin’ Home And Let Me In.
He continued: “I’ve never known a man that had more humility. A man with absolute no guile. An individual that was quick to forgive and had the ability to show unconditional love to everyone he ever met.”
Born in August 1951, in Ogden, Utah, Wayne was the fourth oldest of nine children and raised in a Mormon household.
For a while, the siblings generated the same sort of fevered excitement as The Beatles. When the band flew into Heathrow Airport in 1973, 10,000 teenage fans packed the roof gardens at a nearby office block to see them arrive. Part of the balcony railing and wall collapsed amidst a crowd surge, slightly injuring 18 women.
Wayne Osmond suffered a number of health problems during his life. He was diagnosed with a brain tumour as a child, which resulted in cognitive problems.
In 1994, he noticed that the condition was worsening. “I noticed I couldn’t play my saxophone any more because my head would start throbbing,” he later recalled. “And my knees would fall out from under me when I was on stage. This all began happening within a week.”
The subsequent surgery and related cancer treatments resulted in significant hearing loss that persisted for the rest of his life. He also suffered a previous stroke in 2012.
In 2019, the musician joined his siblings Alan, Merrill and Jay for their final ever performance on TV show The Talk. Performing in front of a screen that showed a montage of their career highlights, the original quartet performed a song called The Last Chapter, written as a thank you to their fans.
Wayne spent his retirement indulging in hobbies including fly fishing, and spending time with his family. He maintained an optimistic outlook, telling Utah newspaper Desert News that hearing loss didn’t bother him.
He is survived by wife Kathlyn and five children, Amy, Steven, Gregory, Sarah and Michelle. He is also survived by his eight siblings: Virl, Tom, Alan, Merrill, Jay, Donny, Marie and Jimmy.
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